The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-09-13
MUSIC-BOXES.
The Chinese Very Fond of thern-How
They Are Made.


From the Jewelry NelcS
There is a great demand for musical boxes
from China" said dealer. 1.-The Chinese
are passionately fond of them, and at a
festival a Chinaman who can afford it
carries musical box in each pocket"
what music do they like best'"
"An Chinese music; they will have no
other. The sweetest strains from 'Trovatore,
'Mignon' and Faust are as sweet bells
tangled and out of tune to Chinaman.
We have to employ men who can reduce
the Chinese music to written notes, and
from this as copy the music-box is made
We have to make up a different set for
every country. If we should send boxes to
France that played Nellie Gray Way
Down on the Suwanee River When You
and We're Young, Maggie, or Sweet By
and-by,' we should get them back quick
enough
National airs are the first tunes chosen,
then the popular tunes, and then selections
from famous operas Scotch tunes, except
"Auld Lang Syne' and Bonnie Doom are
difficult to render effectively by a music
box, and they are rarely used. The great
expense in the manufacture of muslc-boxeS
arises from the necessity of changing the
tunes, discarding those that are tiresome
But sit down while we talk"
The writer took seat, and the strains of
"Farandole," from "Olivette,n hoated from
beneath the chair. ''Have a cigarN He
turned cigar stand, and there came out of
it the air of the drinking song in "Girofie-
Girofia." This is the picture of our Swiss
factory" AS the album was opened there
came out of it an air from Fra Diavolo."
"Will you take pinch of snuff" As the
~o-S toaV- NuloI n
''Should Aud Acquaintance be Forgotw
I'VE have q customer who has a music
box attachment to his front door, and his
visitors are always greeted by tune. A
music-boX can be concealed in very small
compass, and one of the reigning demands
is for articles that contain them, SO as to
create pleasant surprises. Dolls, clocks and
books are provided with them. Nearly all
of the music-boXes are made in Santei Croix,
or Geneva, in Switzerland.
1.-The principle of manufacture is simple.
The different parts comprise brass roller
studded with fine points of the hardest
steel, a steel comb, the teeth of which give
the sounds, a spring to give the revolving
motion to the cylinder, and a ffy-wheel or
fan to regulate the revolving motion. The
music has at first to be arranged by
thorough artist The cylinder which comes
from machine shop is then placed in the
music and very ingenious machine, marks
the places on the cylinder where the points
are to be inserted. Another person drills
all the little holes, and another inserts the
points The cylinder is then filled with
molten cement, and then placed on lathe
and revolved quickly. The cement adheres
to the inside surface and thus holds the
points. A hole is left in the center of the
cylinder for the axis. The points are then
10 hn of of
comb is tuned by a tuner, who first files the
teeth, without excessive care, to give them
the proper fiexibility, and then files them
near the base to lower the tones. The
operation of fastening the cylinder and
comb to the bed plate requires much
accuracy, SO that the points of the cylinder
and comb will exactly meet. A woman
following the music then bends the points on
the cylinder slightly forward in order to
secure more strength, but more especially
to make the cords drop simultaneously and
cause the runs or roulades to be played
evenly.
"Size III music-boxes increases both their
volume and their richness in tone A
cylinder 10 inches long can be made to play,
six, eight, ten or twelve airs well, but it
will play six or eight airs better and with
more sweetness and harmony OF sound than
it can be made to play a greater number.
The reason of this is that more points on
the cylinder and more teeth in the comb can
be used for each air if there are fewer airs.
The space between the teeth decreases with
the number of airs. If the cylinder is in
Creased in diameter the airs may be pro-
longed.n
"how long does a music-box lastP
st is like watch. 1t will last lifetime
if it is good to begin with, and is treated
we'll and with care. Most owners of music
boxes object to using them except for
company. The fact is, music-box should
be used every day, just as a watch should
be wound up every day."